Avatar: the Last Airbender, my way
by thouartasuckyperson
Summary: The story of Avatar through Katara's eyes. What's the same? What's different? Read to find out! I'm not updating it because of lack of reviews, so until that happens, it's sort of done. Zuatara in chapter eight.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar:the Last Airbender**

Avatar: The Last Airbender - It begins on Book two, chapter one. Perspective of Katara

Chapter One:

I told Aang that this was going to end badly. We are currently at a military base, waiting for an escort to Omashu, but that doesn't seem to be happening. No one here seems very eager to get things moving. It's frustrating, knowing that we are wasting more of Aang's time to learn earth-bending because if the in-organisation of some silly military base!

"We've got to get out of here." I mumble to Sokka. He just sighs, leaning his head against the wall.

"There's always something we have to do. Give it a break, Katara, and just take it easy for _one _minute." I glare, but let it slide. Ever since Yue sacrificed herself for the Moon Spirit, Sokka has been…gloomy. It's honestly making me jumpy when he isn't cracking stupid puns and making plans for the future. His depressing attitude is rubbing off on me. I suddenly feel like giving up and sleeping for the rest of my life.

"Katara! Katara, look at this! It's a map of the Fire Nation." Aang's excited voice travels towards me. I look up and see him floating over a long table; a 3D representation of the Fire Nation. Walking towards it, I do have to admit that it's impressive. The map makes me feel like I _am _in it, right now, in this very moment. Or maybe a God, observing it from above. Either way, I kind of like it. It helps me remember that the Fire Nation has secrets, just like everyone else.

"It's very impressive." I say to Aang, giving a small smile. He nods, eyes big and curious. It reminds me of how young he actually is. Aang may be the Avatar, but he's still a kid as well.

"I know right! Even if the Fire Nation is bad, I still think it's really pretty." He says, turning towards me with a big grin. I frown.

"The Fire Nation is evil, Aang. They don't care about pretty. They care about destruction and pain and horror."

"Even evil things hold beauty in them, no matter how hidden it might seem." Aang says, a little twinkle in his eye. I sigh. That's just the monk speaking.

Turning towards the guards who stand beside the big oak doors, I ask, "Well? Where is the escort? Haven't you kept us waiting for long enough?" The guard simply looks at me, without speaking. He then returns to staring straight ahead, as if I'd never even spoken in the first place. Glaring, I storm over to Sokka, who still looks small and sad.

"Sokka. I don't care what you have to say; we are leaving. Now." Sokka merely raises his head from the wall, giving me a sad look.

"Is the escort here?"

"No. I don't even think the escort is coming. It's been almost two hours! I can't wait any longer." I say firmly. Sokka needs to get a grip.

"What are we doing?" Aang asks, walking over. Sokka actually sits up all the way, glaring at me like I'm Prince Zuko.

"Katara, our great and powerful leader," He says it with so much sarcasm I have to resist the urge to punch him, "thinks it would be smarter to leave now without the escort and fly to Omashu, even if it may ruin our chance of actually getting there safely. Katara doesn't care about that, though. No, she just wants to take drastic chances that could ruin everything!" I stare at him stunned. Sokka's eyes are burning and his fists are clenched.

"Listen, _Sokka_. You don't get to make all the decisions. Let the rational ones take charge for a bit as you figure out your meaning in life." My voice is dripping with venom. I can feel my heart hammering in my chest, and I wonder if everyone else can hear it too, "You can't turn into a snuffling wimp the moment someone you _kind of _like dies." The moment the words slip out of my mouth, I know it was a mistake. Sokka's whole face goes slack. His nostrils flare and he hangs his head. When he speaks, it's so full of sadness I can barely handle it.

"Yue isn't dead Katara."

"She's gone. Let her go, Sokka." It's more of a plea than anything else, "You know it's true."

All of a sudden, Sokka stands up and barrels towards me. He hits me, sending me crashing into the wall. I'm so shocked I don't even defend myself.

" . !" HE screams as his fist connects with my cheek, my arm, my stomach. Every hit hurts me more and more, but not in the physical way. No, it's more of a mental thing. With every punch, I can feel how much rage Sokka has been holding back. It starts to tear through my thoughts, leaving nothing but raw emotion. I suddenly understand his pain. His pain about Yue is the same as mine about mom. His anger at the Fire Nation is just as big as my own, even if he has tried to hide it for so long. With every kick, punch and hit, I am getting closer to Sokka.

"STOP!" Aang's powerful voice bursts through my thoughts. Sokka is pulled off of me and dragged across the room. Aang runs over, kneeling beside me.

"Are you okay?" He asks softly. I nod, pressing my hands against my head.

"I'm going to go find some water." I mumble. Standing up, I tip to the side, but luckily Aang catches.

"I'll join you." We walk quietly out of the long room. The guards don't stop us; they're too busy watching Sokka. I feel bad, honestly. Sokka had every right to be mad. It only makes sense that he would freak out like that. It had to happen at one point, didn't it? I just wish it didn't happen now.

After a bit of walking, we find a small fountain. It's shaped like a fish, with a small drizzle of water sprouting from its lips. I dip my hands into the cool water and sigh as I place them against the bruises on my arms. Aang sits beside me, not saying a word.

"What do you think?" I ask him.

"About what?"

"You know, leaving without an escort. It wouldn't be that bad would it?" Aang shakes his head.

"I don't know Katara. It's hard to judge, but why don't we just wait? Two hours isn't that long."

"It is for me. Every minute, the Fire Nation is plotting to kill us all. We're just wasting time staying here." And it's true. Aang might be trying to take the whole comet thing lightly, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. If we don't destroy the Fire Nation King before the comet, we all know the odds of being able to kill him after are slim. Aang still has two elements to master and we have no time to loose.

"Don't be such a drama queen Katara. You're taking things to seriously. It'll all work out."

"I wish." I mumble, placing my cheek into the water.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender**

Chapter two:

The decision to leave the Earth kingdom military base and travel to Omashu alone was, surprisingly, easy. Sokka didn't seem eager to go against me, and Aang looked as if he could care less.

"We've been traveling alone this entire time, why stop?" Was his only reason.

The guards at the military base were friendly about it. They gave us packs filled with food and blankets, along with a fair amount of money. By the time I was sitting on Oppa's back, soaring through the clouds, I felt so relaxed it was like the Fire Nation didn't even exist.

"See," I sigh, leaning back against Oppa's saddle, "Isn't this better than having some silly escort tell us about his past?"

"Yah. Whetever." Sokka snorts. Rolling my eyes, I stare out into the sky. It continues to amaze me, with the sun shining so brightly and the sky colored a bright blue. The clouds swirl around us, forming shapes and forms. It seems so cliché, but I reach out my hand and watch as the pink mist swirls around my fingertips. It feels cold, cold and wet, a feeling I don't really hate. I bend the water, making little circles and shapes that explode into sparkling streams when I let go.

"So, what's the plan when we get to Omashu?" Aang asks. I shrug, controlling a bunny jumping amongst the clouds.

"It's really not that complicated. Find King Boomi, and get him to teach you earth-bending."

"Okay, seems easy enough."

Sokka laughs, a weird sound since he hasn't done it forever, "When is it ever easy?"

"True, true." I agree, laughing. Sokka sits up, a familiar glint in his eye.

"Remember that one time where Katara stole the water-bending scroll?" Sokka snickers, "That ended so well."

"Those pirates were not very nice about it." Aang snorts.

"I set back our schedule by forty minutes." Sokka teases.

"You guys won't let me live that down, will you?"

"The day Katara broke the rules and did her own thing." Aang and Sokka give each other goofy look, "We will remember it in our hearts forever." I spray them both with a jet of water. Suddenly, everyone's laughing hysterically, and all I can think is how nice it is to have Sokka back.

A few hours later, we begin to see the familiar trees and roads winding below us. It's obvious that we are close to Omashu now, but something's off. Usually, there is a long trail of people; villagers and tradesmen visiting from other places in the Earth Kingdom. But today, looking down, I see the odd man driving a cart. It's strange. I begin to feel something growing in my stomach. A pit, expanding until I can feel it in my throat.

"Something terrible happened." I mumble, not really to anyone but myself. I look over at Sokka and Aang. They're digging through a bag of firenuts, throwing the shells at each other and laughing like children. Seeing them goofing off, I think, "Nothing bad happened.", but I still can't shake the feeling that Omashu has changed, for the worse.

"Firenut, Katara?" Aang asks eyes wide. Shaking my head, I climb over to Oppa's head, staring below.

"What's wrong Katara?" Sokka asks.

"I feel like something bad happened." I sigh, turning to look at him. He doesn't seem that interested. Aang does, though. He sits beside me, staring at his hands.

"What do you mean? What happened?" He asks. I point down at the winding roads below us.

"There's no one. It's usually filled with people on a day like this." Aang nods, but doesn't look convinced.

"If something bad would've happened, they would have alerted us." Aang reasons.

"Yeah, but-'' I start, but Aang cuts me off.

"Katara, no. Nothing happened." He says firmly. I can tell that, no matter what I say, he won't listen. Aang wants Omashu to be fine, and I understand that, but it might be unreasonable. Sokka taps my shoulder. Agitated, I turn and see a look of complete horror on his face. Suddenly, I'm afraid to turn around. Aang gasps beside me.

"No…" He whispers quietly. Mustering what little nerves I have, I turn and face Omashu.

Except something is terribly wrong.

Omashu is now Fire Nation territory.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three:

"We have to find Boomi!" Aang huffs, pacing back and forth. We found coverage in a small part of the forest, surrounded by a long river and a thick canopy. Every now and then, the earth rumbles and a fire nation ship flows down the river, forcing us to jump and hide behind bushes and fallen trees. Sokka and I are jumpy, but Aang seems more determined than afraid.

"What your talking is crazy!" Sokka says, madly pointing at Aang, "You could get us all killed."

"Sokkas right. The Fire Nation could find us at any moment, we can't stay."

"You guys don't understand!" Aang yells, facing us, fists clenched, "Boomi needs me, and if I were to leave someone who needs help, I would be going against everything I believe in." Sokka groans, clutching his head in his hands. Aang turns away, clutching his staff to his chest.

"I'm going, whether you guys are coming or not." He says, walking towards Oppa, who is hidden in a ditch. Sokka lets out a garbled shriek, flopping onto the ground.

"I give up." He mumbles. Frowning, I run over to Aang, who is readying Oppa's saddle.

"If you're here to tell me not to go, don't." He grumbles, viciously attacking the straps around Oppa's chest. I give him a pained expression, leaning against a tree. He ignores me, mumbling to himself about friends and monks. I let out a moan, mad at myself for giving in. Pushing myself off the tree, I help with readying the straps.

"You know I'm going with you no matter what." I huff. Aang turns, giving me a small smile.

"Thanks, Katara." We hug, but I pull away quickly. Sokka is smirking.

"If you think we're going into a heavily guarded Fire Nation city on a flying bison, you're wrong." I grin, tackling him with an embrace. We will always be a team, and it comforts me so much knowing that's the truth.

I follow Sokka through the dense forest, alert and ready for anything. At every snap of a twig, bird call in the distance, and crinkle of leaves beneath my feet, I wince, expecting a group of Fire Benders to jump out from the foliage and takes us all as prisoners. Nobody else seems to feel that way. Of course, Sokka and Aang are having a good old time, cracking jokes and cackling like idiots. The quietness of the forest amplifies their laughs, making the noise bounce of trees and echo in the distance.

"Guys." I hiss, tapping on Sokka's shoulder, "Shush! You're going to get us caught!"

'Don't like us being happy?" He practically screams. I clap my hand over his mouth, placing a finger over my lips. His eyes widen, nodding. I see Aang up ahead, whistling. There's someone beside him, wearing red. He's reaching towards Aang's shoulder…

It clicks with me just as it happens. I open my mouth to scream his name, but someone knock me in the head. Crashing to the ground, I watch as a fireball smashes into Sokka. Aangs lying on the ground as well, two Fire Nation men tying his hands together. My eyes slowly flicker shut, leaving me to the cruel darkness.

I wake up in a metal cell. My hands are cuffed to the wall with metal shackles, and I can feel a big bump pulsing on the back of my head. Groaning, I pull against the chains, but they hold in place. They bite into the skin on my wrists, which I don't appreciate. I writhe and wiggle, but it does nothing but cut the cuffs deeper into my skin.

"It's no use." Someone says. I look up. There is a girl not far from my age standing in red robes outside the metal bars. Her hair is tied up in a bun, with two long strands hanging on the sides of her face. She sighs, inspecting her nails. I get the feeling she was expecting a different reaction, but I can't tell why.

"Don't recognise me?" I shake my head. She blows a strand of hair from her face. "Shame. It would've helped you out a lot if you did. Here, let me give you a hint." She points at the traditional Fire Nation crown sticking out from her bow. I gulp, lowering my eyes to the dirty ground.

"Princess Azula." I whisper. Yes, I've heard of her. The ruthless tyrant, prodigy Fire Bender, is out-shining Prince Zuko in every way. I can't help but crack a small smile. I thought Zuko was awful, but having his sister stand just outside my cage, it's like comparing a skunk to a bear. Power is basically radiating off her very being. The way she holds herself up and taps her fingers against her arm like she's waiting for something, god, _anything _interesting to happen makes me cringe. She could kill me with the flick of her finger, and I wouldn't even be able to stop it.

And so, knowing all of that, why do I feel so important? Like I'm untouchable, invincible. I let out a laugh.

"Please," She says, rolling her eyes, "do tell me what is so hilarious."

"You may have been graced with power, but at least Zuko got all the good looks." I smirk, looking her straight in the eye.

"Yes, while he seduces girls with his dashing appearance, I'll be capturing the Avatar. Oh wait, that already happened." She raises an eyebrow, "I'll tell him you said that." And with that, Azula has moved on.

I blink. Did I really just compliment Zuko? No, it doesn't count as a compliment if I said it in a mean context, right?"

"Who would complement the prince of the Fire Nation…" I huff, glowering at the ground.

"Banished prince!" Azula sings from somewhere to my left, adding,"And you did!"


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender**

Chapter four:

The only thing I can think about is Aang. If they have him, then they can easily transport him to the Fire Nation with no problem. With Sokka and I in prison, what's stopping them? Nothing, that's what.

I bang my head into the cold cement behind me. How could I be so stupid? It's my entire fault! If my patience was just a little bigger, we could have gone with an escort and we wouldn't be in this mess now. Aang wouldn't be miles away, and I wouldn't be chained to a wall!

The cell in front of me holds an old man. He is curled up on his side, whimpering. I wonder what he could have possibly done to upset the Fire Nation. The old man looks too frail to be a threat to anyone. Even if he did do something wrong, I doubt he has much time left to do anything else. And maybe that's for the better. He won't have to stay in here long; it's like his free ticket out.

I shake that kind of thought from my head. Since when did I begin to think so horribly? It pains me, really, to consider who else is in this prison. How many more old men lay behind bars? What make that justiciable? A cruel smile creeps across my lips. How long did my mother sit in a cell, rotting because I couldn't save her…

"Water time." A guard says, snapping me from my thoughts. He is holding a long rod, with a dip filled with murky water at the end. I wiggle my hands, desperate to bend and get myself out of here. The guard snickers, sticking the rod through the bars and towards my mouth. Knowing perfectly well that I will and cannot free my wrists, I open my mouth in defeat, allowing the ill-tasting water to drip down my chin. I catch little, and realize how parched my throat feels.

"There's more of that to come later, sweets." The guard chuckles, walking to the next cell. I glare, but stare at the droplets of water on the ground. The water has formed a small puddle near my feet, and, giving it a closer look, I begin to believe that I can maybe, just maybe, get out of here after all.

Slowly, I begin to push my right arm through the cuff. It cuts through the skin on my forearm, leaving a small trail of blood, but I push through. Once I can move my wrist in a perfect circle, I stop. It's hard to concentrate with the throbbing of the cuts on my arm, but I twist my hand towards the small puddle at my feet. Closing my eyes, I imagine the water rising towards my hand. It's harder to bend with mostly your mind, because then even the littlest thing could break your concentration, ruining what you have going on. So that is why I take it slowly, willing the water up bit by bit, attentive of guards approaching my cell.

Eventually, the water is floating at my finger. I have started to sweat with the effort, but I only use it to my advantage. As the water and sweat beings to mix, the puddle grows larger and larger until I'm sure that it is thick and strong enough to cut through the shackle. I take a deep breath in, blowing the air from my mouth.

With a quiet slicing noise, the water cuts through the chain, letting my bloody arm drop to my side. I sigh in relief. My wrist stings in the air, causing tears to form in my eyes. Quickly, I cut the other shackle off and stretch my arms, liking how it feels to not have restriction to my movement.

Rolling the water through my fingers, I approach the bars with caution. On both sides, I see no guards so I go ahead and take a few steps back, pushing all of my weight into the water. I begin to make a small cut through one bar, working as fast as I can. Once the top is finished, I move onto the bottom, checking to see if any guards are coming. None. Quickening my pace, I finally push the bar out of place, squeezing through the small opening. Throwing the bar into the cell, I run down the long hallway of cages.

I walk quietly, so none of the other prisoners see me. Most are facing the walls, but when one does spot me, I place a finger over my lips, and they stay quiet. None of the faces are Sokka's, and I begin to feel worried. What If they moved him to a different prison? What if he's gone? I know I can't stay in the open, so I run and jump into the closest room I find.

Inside, it's filled with Fire Nation armor, and I can't help but smile at my luck. I place a helmet on my head and slide into a chest plate, hoping my face doesn't give anything away. Dropping the water into one of the rod's I'd seen earlier, I exit the room, walking in the opposite direction of my cell.

The first guard I encounter stops me in my tracks. I'm in a sort of inside dining hall, with Fire Nation guards everywhere. Holding my breath, I stare up into his red eyes.

"Watering time is over, numbskull." His voice is deep and mean, matching his torso, which is thick with muscle. I nod shakily, tapping my fingers at my side nervously.

"I'll put it away right away…sir." I stammer. Looking satisfied, he walks away.

God, I need to get out of here fast.

Turning away quickly, I walk right into the most surprising person possible.

"Katara!" Aang squeals obvious delight in his face. My eyes widen. The two giant guards who are at Aang's side stare down at me, looking as if they see straight through my armor. I can feel everyone's eyes turned towards me, the obvious imposter.

"Wait, I mean," Aang laughs, shaking his head, "I mean, hello there guard, nice to see you." I give him the worst glare I can muster before taking a step back; ready to face all of the guards. Some stand up, but many remain sitting, as if they don't think I can get out of here alive. I narrow my eyes. Well, I'll show them.

Just as I'm about to attack, chaos hits. A giant wave of prisoners comes screaming, running into the hall, attacking guards here and there. And, leading the pack is none other than Sokka, who's waving his boomerang around like a mad man.

It's nice, having a lunatic for a brother.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five:

Grabbing Aang by the hand, I pull him towards Sokka, who is attacking a guard with his boomerang. Sprinting by, I grab Sokka's hand as well, and the three of us rush towards the exit, hiding every time a guard comes running by. As we approach the dark hallway leading to the gate, it's silent. Maybe we're actually lucky for once, but I highly doubt it. The eerie echoes of screams behind us urges me forward, but I take slow steps, ears waiting for even the slightest give away of attackers.

"Well," Sokka huffs, stepping in front of me, "what are we waiting for?"

"Sokka!" I hiss, nervously watching him walk down the hallway, "Sokka! Get back, get back!" He continues walking, turning as he nears the long metal gate that stands between us and freedom.

"It's fine! There's no one here!" He shouts over. I wince, remembering what happened only hours ago because Aang and Sokka wouldn't shut up. Aang lays a hand on my shoulder.

"It's fine; the guards are all fighting the prisoners." I bite my lip, nodding.

Walking quickly towards Sokka, I stare up at the imposing gate. It's at the end of a long narrow hallway. There are no other exits, just the dim light and the sounds of fighting at the other end of the hall.

"How do you open this!" I fume, slamming my fist against the hard metal surface. I can here the sounds of fighting dying down, and know that our time is limited. Aang is hovering at the top of the gate, Sokka at the sides, but nothing happens.

"There's got to be a room somewhere where the control panel is." Sokka says, tapping his fingers against his temples. Aang falls down, landing on his feet.

"Probably. Let's go check." I grab his arm, giving him a frown.

"Spreading out in a prison isn't exactly the best way. Can't you just blow it down with air bending?" I ask hopefully. Aang shakes his head.  
"They have it secured into the wall. I'm not strong enough."

"Do your little Avatar-thing," Sokka supplies, striding over, "you know, with the glowing eyes."

"He can't do that on command Sokka, you know that." We all groan. I feel hopeless, caught right in between freedom. I was only in jail for at least two days, and I already despise it. It's sucking the life out of me, making my spirit and mind weak. I want out, now. There's a loud chuckle behind us. Turning, I gasp as I realize who the figure is standing at the end of the hall. Even with a shadow cast across her face it's obvious. Azula is back, but wanting a fight.

"Azula." I say calmly, entering a fighting stance. Aang does the same, but Sokka just stares. Obviously, Azula didn't grace him with her presence. She gives a little wave, still casual.

"Hello, water-bender. Hello, Avatar, and hello, water tribe boy. I see you found the gate. It's quite a difficult contraption." She snorts. Aang takes a step forward, hands limp at his side.

"Don't fight us, Azula. It's three against one. You can't win." He says firmly, as if a few stern words can influence her actions. She laughs, a harsh sound that doesn't hold a note of joy.

"Even if it was just me, you would all be lying on the floor dead." She says, walking towards us. I tense, waiting for her to attack, but she doesn't. Instead, she keeps walking until she stops not far from Aang, who is now standing in the front with a protective stance. I see a flicker of movement from above, in the rafters.

"Aang!" I scream, pointing above. He barely moves his head, but a flash of wind throws a nimble looking girl with a long pony tail at the back of her head across the hallway. She flips twice in the air, landing on her hands beside Azula, who gives a wicked smile.

Narrowing my eyes, I move a little to the left, and with a low whistling noise, two throwing stars impale themselves in the gate, inches from where I stand now. A tall figure drops in front of Azula, yawning momentarily before standing on the other side of Azula.

"Well, this is going be quick." Azula smirks, before a long, bending swirl of fire whips towards. All three of them attack, running toward us quickly.

"Find me some water Sokka!" I scream as I dodge a throwing star. He gives me an angry look, but runs off down the hallway, straight past Azula and her friends, who, thankfully, don't follow.

Aang bounds towards the Azula, but the acrobat and throwing star girl advance on me. Heart hammering in my chest, I step over throwing stars and kick flying punches away. I'm not fairing to well, and every now and then a flash of wind blows the two away. _Where is Sokka!_ I think. A throwing star catches my robe, pinning me to the gate. I pull, but can't move. The acrobat gives me three quick hits in the arm and suddenly my whole body goes limp. I can think and blink, but nothing else seems to work; not my arms, not my legs, not even my fingers. I give an exasperated howl, and the two give each other a high five, inspecting their work. Just as they run away, a robe figure falls down in front of me silently. I can tell it's a guy just by the way he quickly walks towards the fight, and for a second my heart stops, thinking he's here to help Azula.

But no, he lets out a spiral of fire, knocking the acrobat off her feet. Grabbing the throwing star girl by the arm, he slams her against a wall, grabbing a throwing star and chucking it at the acrobat, pinning her to the ground. The girl fights back, but with no luck. The guy slams her into the wall again, and she falls to the floor unconscious. Pulling two swords out from his back, he sends a jet of fire straight into Azula who, not expecting it, slams into the wall. I let out a small cheer, but it falls short as I watch what happens next.

He places the swords against Aang's throat, slowly walking backwards. Azula stands up, a furious glint in her eye.

"That's the Avatar." She says quietly, gritting her teeth, "And if you kill him, you will be an enemy of the fire nation." The guy makes no response, just continues walking backwards.

The gate suddenly begins to open, pulling me to the side and towards the wall. I'm still paralyzed, so I can't move from the gate. The guy who has Aang at sword point launches two throwing stars out of the blue, pinning Azula robe to the wall. I know, and he must know that it probably won't keep Azula tame for long. If anything, she looks amused; as if happy her chase for the Avatar won't end here.

Pushing Aang out into the bright light, the man rips me from the gate, tearing part of my sleeve off in the process. Picking me up in his arms, he runs outside and lays me down beside Aang, who is just leaning against the wall. The sun hits the guy's face and I stare up into the dark eyes of my capturer, and, sort of, savior.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey people who view my work and don't like it; tell me why. Review my story with input and stuff you like/dislike 'cause I'd really like to know. Also, if you're looking for romance it won't begin 'till the next few chapters; I had to make sure the whole storyline made sense before. Anyways, let's keep going.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender**

Chapter six:

I still can't move, but my eyes widen and suddenly I'm filled with anger.

"ZUKO!" I shriek. I can't see Aang but I can hear him gasp. Nothing happens, though, no airbending or anything. I realize that Aang must be hurt, but I can't turn my head to see. Zuko doesn't even react, he simply throws me and Aang over his shoulders and half walks half sprints away from the giant metal prison. I scream but it doesn't seem to do anything. I shriek and shout until my lungs hurt, and I shut up all together.

Aang is motionless beside me. His Face is pale and his lips are blue, and he sways side to side with Zuko's stride limply. I worry, whispering his name, but he doesn't respond. I slowly begin to realize that Aang is dying, and I may be the only one that can help him.

Zuko walks quickly down the dirt road leading to the prison, turning off of it the moment a forest begins. He knocks me into trees and little twigs and thorns scratch my skin, but still, I remain paralyzed. As we walk deeper into the forest, my mind goes off in thousands of directions. Suddenly, I'm almost positive that Zuko is going to kill me and the Avatar. It's been his lifelong need, to capture the Avatar and "regain his honor". It's been what his last past years have been about, and now he can finally do it. He can win.

Just as I'm about to lose my entire mind, I see something I wasn't expecting.

Sokka, Momo and Oppa, sitting in a clearing, eating berries. He waves when he sees Zuko, like they're old time buddies. Zuko lightly drops me on the ground against Oppa, who roars as a "hello." Aang is placed beside me, head limp against his shoulder.

"What happened to-" Sokka begins, but I cut him off with a harsh command.

"Go find me some water. Now." I command. Sokka nods, running off into the woods without questioning me. The feeling in my fingertips is slowly returning, spreading up my arm and down my chest towards my toes. I lean over Aang, pressing my hand against his neck. There's still a pulse, so there's still hope.

"How can I help?" Zuko asks. He's hovering over Aang as well, but with no concern in his eye. I stand up, nostrils flaring.

"Don't you lay a hand on him." I hiss quietly, pushing Zuko away, "If you think for one second that I trust you, you're wrong. Whatever you and Sokka did, it doesn't matter; you are not welcome. One wrong move, one stupid mistake and you are gone. Wiped off from this planet completely."

"Katara-"

"You think you're our savior." I spit, clenching my fist, "but you will never be." I turn away, stalking back to Aang who looks worst then before. My anger slowly gives way to panic. Panic, because Sokka hasn't returned with the water and if Aang dies, all is lost. If Aang dies, I wouldn't know what to do. Everything would be hopeless without the Avatar.

Sokka comes barreling out from the forest holding a small bowl of water in his hands. Bending the water, I place my hands against Aang's leg, which is probably the worst spot on him at the moment. I look back and see Sokka and Zuko disappearing into the forest, and a tear rolls down my cheek as I continue to heal Aang.

I wake up the next morning under a blanket, leaning against Oppa's furry side. Aang lays beside me, the color returned to his face. I sigh, relieved, that he's okay. Sitting up, I stretch, looking over at the sleeping bodies of Sokka and Zuko. I frown.

I don't trust Zuko, and I don't know what possessed Sokka to. I glance at his face. Zuko looks so peaceful when he sleeps, like his whole being is at rest. His lips aren't pulled down in a frown, and his brow isn't scowling. He looks almost… happy. I laugh. Zuko, happy? I've only seen him angry, because angry is his only true emotion. Gazing at his strong jaw and pale complexion, I feel the slightest flutter in my chest.

I look away, blushing. How could my chest flutter at him, the one that has tried to kill me over a thousand times? I look back, only to see him giving me an amused smile.

"Staring?" He chuckles. I sit up and glare, turning on my heels and stalking off into the forest without a word. Still, the fluttering in my stomach only intensifies. Hopefully he didn't see the redness in my cheeks.

I keep walking straight until I come across a small stream, where I coat me hands in a thick mesh of water and attack nearby trees. It's sort of fun, to be able to chop down trees with your fingers and not even feel a thing. I don't return to camp for a while, I'm having too much fun being alone and doing my own thing. If anything, I'm angry and need to blow off some steam. I'm angry at Sokka, for trusting Zuko, and at Zuko, for making my stomach flutter. I'm also mad at Aang for caring too much. Bumi is a powerful airbender, and Aang can't even handle himself against Azula.

Eventually, I walk back to camp with a long line of water following. A small line of smoke is billowing up from the clearing. When I arrive, I see Aang, Sokka and Zuko sitting around a small camp, roasting who knows what. I douse the fire with a jet of water.

"What are you thinking?" My voice comes out shrill, but I'm too mad to care. "You guys can't _start a fire_, there could be firebenders prowling these woods for our heads!"

"Sorry, we were hungry." Sokka grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest angrily. Aang shrugs, munching on some berries. He really does look better, and I get a small feeling of pride in my chest knowing that I was the one who helped.

"That was me, I thought why not." Zuko adds, glancing from me to Sokka.

"For someone that's been on the road for his entire life, you suck at survival skills." I snort.

"It was three years!" Zuko objects, crossing his arms like Sokka. I roll my eyes, walking over to Oppa to find a container to put the water in. Finding one, I turn back to Sokka and Zuko.

"We need to get moving." I state, "Aang's all healed up, it only makes sense."

"I'm cool with that." Aang says, mouth full of berries. Zuko nods, but Sokka doesn't look sure.

"Shouldn't we help Omashu out? There's Firebenders everywhere, we can't just leave them." I shake my head.

"WE went to find Bumi and ended up in prison. I refuse to even go near that stupid city." Shivering, I climb onto Oppa, pulling Aang up with me. Sokka stays put, but I watch his resistance drain until he agrees. I grab Zuko's hand, heaving him up as well. When I let go, I can feel the warmth from his hand remain on my palm, giving me a little happy feeling on the inside. For some reason, I always thought it would be cold, like his heart, but I guess I was wrong. I give him a quick glance, blushing when he's already looking at me. He winks before pulling Sokka up. I smile. Maybe his heart has a little heat left after all.


	7. Chapter 7

**Yah, so this is when the romanticism begins. My current plans for romance is Zutara and probably Taang. It's hard to tell with Sokka, so we'll see with that. Any ways, letzz get to it.**

**C**hapter seven:

I wake up with a chilling breeze all around me. Shivering, I sit up, pulling my blanket around my shoulders.

We've been flying for almost two days, and I still don't know where we are. The plan has mostly been to fly around the Earth Kingdom in search of an Earth Bender for Aang, but that has failed miserably. Most of the towns are overrun with Fire Nation, and it's hard to speak to anyone without out someone else hearing. The only secure Earth Nation city is Ba Sing Se, and so we are slowly making our way there.

"Cold?" I jump, looking over at Zuko, who is laying on his side at the back of Oppa's saddle. I shrug.

"After doing this for a while you kind of get used to it." He nods, looking up at the moon, which is shining bright. His scar is illuminated in the light, making him look fierce. I bite my lip. Isn't he fierce? Isn't he ruthless and uncaring? He turns his head, the other side of his face visible. That side shows the side of a handsome young man, who witnessed and felt terrible things but recovered from them and learnt. Maybe that's the side I can love.

I shake my head thoughtfully. To love Zuko, I would have to accept him and everything he is. And I don't. Not yet.

"The Fire Nation has been taught to fear the Moon." Zuko says quietly, giving me a thoughtful look, "My teachers used to tell me that the Moon was evil, and that the only way there would ever be peace would be to destroy it." I shake my head.

"The Fire Nation has some pretty screwed up knowledge." I snort. Zuko chuckles.

"That they do, that they do." He points up at the sky. "Your friend is up there?" I smile, thinking of Yue.

"Yeah. She was pretty nice." My smile fades, remembering the pain on Sokka's face when she left.

"Too bad…" He doesn't really mean it, obviously. He's only trying to fill the awkward holes of silence. I nod, curling up into a ball and closing my eyes. I hear him sigh, and then silence, and slowly I fall back asleep.

Again, I wake up, but this time to the shining sun and tall trees. Sitting up, I see Sokka, Zuko and Aang chasing Momo, who has an armful of nuts and berries. He runs up a tree, sitting in its thick branches safely. Aang yells, blasting up jets of wind, but Momo doesn't come down.

"Katara!" Sokka whines, pointing at Momo, "He stole our food." I laugh.

"I see that. Just find some more; it's not like Momos sharing." Aang glares, stalking away from the tree angrily. I roll my eyes.

We decided to stop and camp on the shore of a river, and, seeing how it's quite warm, I wave Aang over.

"Let's Water bend." I say, pulling off my shirt and pants. I can't help but see Zuko staring, and I blush, turning away quickly in embarrassment. _He must think I'm fat. _I sulk, frowning. It shouldn't bother me, but it does.

Aang sprays me with a jet of water, laughing as he wades deep into the water. I follow, canon-balling into the ice cold stream. We begin our regular routine, weaving a line of water from one to the other. Glancing over, I see Zuko, watching me with curious eyes. Again, I blush, wondering what he's thinking. As the water comes my way, I lose focus, spilling it back into the river.

"What's the matter?" Aang asks, starting up a new circuit. Embarrassed, I throw the water away again.

"This is boring. Let's do something harder." Never once have I gone out of routine with Aang, It's always been start with the basics, and then end with a small challenge, never anything difficult. Mostly, I truly am bored, but part of it is that I'm trying to impress Zuko.

Up ahead, there is a long line of rapids with dangerous rocks sticking out from the water. I give Aang a cheeky grin.

"Race you to the bottom of the rapids." He gives me a worried look, but follows me as I run through the water, towards an obviously dangerous thing.

I jump off one rock and bend a small shield of water as I collide with the next. I continue like that a good ways, not checking to see if Aang is following or not. I force two parts of water to split, running through the middle as fast as I can. I check back and see Aang sprinting towards me, gaining quickly.

"No air-bending!" I shriek, before letting the water fall back down. Not quite caring what Aang did to avoid it, I create a bubble that allows me to breath under the water. Above, I can see a blurry image of Aang running over the water, turning it to ice with every step. Giving a wicked grin, I whip to the surface, breaking through the ice and running hot on Aang's trail. I send jets of ice flying at him, but he deflects each with water of his own.

Suddenly, I feel the water surging beneath me, exploding into a giant wave all at once. I laugh, forcing the wave to flow over me, but fall on Aang, who disappears under its current. He pops up beside me, so I send a quick line of water that freezes his legs together. I flip onto the bank, landing on my feet. Aang washes up in front of me, coughing up water.

"Okay," He groans, flopping onto his back, "you win." We walk back to camp slowly, where Sokka is sitting by a fire.

"Took you long enough." He grumbles, "Go find me some food."

"I nominate Katara." Aang moans, sitting down beside Sokka, "I'm pooped." Sticking out my tongue, I duck behind some branches, and go to find food.

"Wait up!" I hear Zuko call, and then he's walking with me down a small animal path in silence.

"That was quite impressive." He says, elbowing my gut. I try to hide my smile, but it comes through anyways. I shrug, trying to look casual.

"Water bending's pretty cool." I giggle, leaning down to pick some berries.

"Not as cool as Fire bending." He snorts, leaning against a tree. I roll my eyes, giving him a playful punch.

"It is so not! You can do so much with water; fire is just…fire." He opens his mouth to add more, but a terrified shout interrupts him.

"HELP!" and then the sound of a blast. There's a giant groan, filling the forest with its sound. Without even the slightest hesitation, I take off sprinting, Zuko close behind. The air is slowly being filled with smoke, and before long trees begins catching on fire. But still, I tread on, running until I burst onto the shore where Sokka, Aang and Oppa should be. Instead, there is nothing but a giant, smoking crater. I sink to my knees, choking on the black soot that has made its way through my lungs.

They're gone.

**Tell me what you think of this chapter! Personally, I got almost everything in: some romance and an epic training run, as well as a sort of, hopefully, un-expected ended. Still, tell me suggestions in some reviews, because this story is lacking those (reviews).**

**Thanks!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Tell me what you think of this chapter! Personally, I got almost everything in: some romance and an epic training run, as well as a sort of, hopefully, un-expected ended. Still, tell me suggestions in some reviews, because this story is lacking those (reviews).**

**Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender**

**So, this chapter is completely and utterly a Zutara moment(s). So that's pretty much it. **

**C**hapter eight:

"Katara!" Someone is shouting my name, which I find rude, so I ignore it. My vision is black, with dangerous red flames dancing around the edges. Sometimes, they flicker to the middle, blinding me with their fierce and powerful light, slowly subsiding back to their rightful spots at the corners of my mind. I like them there, because then they are tame. When they drift close together, the only thing I can think about is how hot it is, and even though it hurts to watch them linger and blend together, I have nowhere else to look.

"Katara!" There's that annoying voice again. It continues shouting until I finally can't handle the noise. My eyes snap open, and I see Zuko staring at me with a passionate concern in his eyes. Above him, the trees are red and the sky is grey with smoke.

"Thank god!" He coughs, covering his mouth with his hand. Doing the same, he pulls me up, grabbing my arm and leading me towards the water. I jump in first, wading across to the other side of the river. I turn and stare at the burning forest that blasts off an intense heat, forcing tears to my eyes.

The entire forest is set aflame, flickering a bright orange. I can't see how far it spreads, but I can tell it is a long ways; every now and then a tree falls and I can see sparks fly up into the air. Zuko tugs on my robe.

"We should keep moving." He says, urging me away from the fire, "There could be Fire Benders waiting for us." I nod, following him as he weaves through the foliage.

We don't speak, just continue walking. With every step I feel the weight of what just happen sink closer to my heart. At the prison, I thought Aang was gone, but at least I had an idea of where he was. Now, the only clue we have is that the kidnappers were most likely Firebenders. We had no way of knowing where they would go, much less how far away they already were.

I'm torn from my thoughts when Zuko body tackles me, sending both us falling down a small hill. At first I think he's attacking me, but I slowly realize that his arms are wrapped around my torso, taking most of the hits from sharp rocks and twigs as we roll. When we come to a stop, I'm laying on top of him, cheek pressed against his chest. His arms keep me there, pulling me close with a firm but gentle grip. I can feel his breaths against my chest, and I hear his heart hammering. I'm about to ask what's going on, but then I hear it.

Footsteps, and loud ones at that, running over dead leaves and fallen trees. All of those are heading directly towards the spot Zuko and I were just standing at, and I feel a shiver go down my spine as I hear the familiar voice of Ty Lee, the acrobat.

"They were just here. I can feel it." She says.

"Ma'am, it's hopeless. We've been searching these woods for hours. They aren't here." Someone speaks out, and I can practically feel the heated glare Ty Lee has to be sending the speakers way.

"He may be right." Says the voice of Mai, sounding bored. "Zuko is smart, and strong, not to mention. It's possible he… chased Azula, followed her to Ba Sing Se with the prisoners." I glare. Do I sense a hint of affection for Zuko in her voice? Well, she can't have him. I shake my head. Why is he doing this to me? Shouldn't I be focusing on Aang and my brother?

"I suppose…" Ty Lee mumbles. She seems like the follower, not the leader.

"Well then, we should head back to Ba Sing Se."

"Azula will be angry we didn't find her brother." Someone points out.

"No, she'll understand" Zuko snorts quietly. I give him a questioning glance. He simply shakes his head.

We wait for the footsteps of the troop to disappear completely. Zuko pushes me off him, helping me up. There's a grim determination in his eye, and my stomach does that thing again.

"Which way is Ba Sing Se?" I ask, hoping he knows the answer. Zuko begins to pace.

"We can't trust what they say. Mai and Ty Lee are smarter than that; they could be baiting us."

"Maybe, but it's the best thing we've got." I say firmly. Zuko gives me a pained look, taking a few steps forward so he's standing in front of me. I can see the muscles in through his torn sleeves, and his eyes don't look angry like they usually do, they look warm and kind.

"We can't just jump into any potentially dangerous situation, Katara." I groan, taking a step back.

"You're just like my brother! If we don't take risks, nothing will ever happen! You're being blind, Zuko, blind!" I shriek angrily, pointing an accusing finger at his chest.

"Katara, Omashu was taken over, and Ba Sing Se could've been as well. We can't go there." He says, softly, placing a hand on my shoulder to comfort me. But it does the opposite. I suddenly feel my rage boiling up inside, rising like the heat in my heart.

"What do you know?" I spit, knocking his hand off my shoulder, "I bet you and Azula plotted this all along. You'd lead us to a desert location, kidnap Aang and Sokka and then lead me away from where they are! You don't want me to find them, you want me to wander, lost and alone and afraid!"

"You know I would never do that, Katara." Zuko says firmly. He grabs my wrist but I twist away, bending jet after jet after jet of water at him, which he knocks away with a flash of his own fire. "Katara! Listen!" He calls at me, but I don't.

"Get off of me! You are evil and malicious! You are a traitor! A monster!" I scream, attacking his firm grasp on my wrist like a child.

Zuko does something surprising. He releases his hold on my wrist and instead places both his hands on my cheeks, staring into my eyes with a sudden lust, like he's searching for something. His scar seems to burn in the light, making all my anger disappear. I wrap my arms around his torso, burying my face into his shoulder. Zuko's hands are immediately pressing into my back, and I feel a sudden warmth spread through my body. Zuko is not a traitor. Zuko is my friend, and, maybe a little more.

My body begins to shake as I sob into his shoulder. I try to fight the sudden tears, but it's no use; they come freely. Before I know it, I'm pressing my face into damp fabric, wet with my tears. Zuko pulls my head off his shoulder, and he leans his forehead against my own.

"We'll find them." He promises, his breath tickling my cheek, "We have to. Our whole world lies in Aang's hands, and I won't be the one to blame if the Avatar dies." I laugh. Zuko lifts my chin, looking into my eyes. Maybe I'm reading the situation wrong, but I lean my head closer, closing my eyes. Zuko meats me, and we kiss.

It just fits. I've only kissed three other people before: Jet, and earth-bender boy, and a boy from my village, but none of those were like this. This feels so right, like this was my fate all along. To kiss Zuko, and like it.

He pulls away.

"We should get out of the open." He says quietly, pulling me away from where we came from, and towards the unknown. And, for once, I don't mind.

**Okay. This took a long time. I'm beginning to feel offended because none of you guys are reviewing. Sorry about the lengths, I really didn't know what to do about this chapter. Anyways, tell me what you think in some reviews!**


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